Chase

♀ Girl

Pronounced CHAYS /ˈtʃeɪs/High

Meaning: Hunter, huntsman; from an English surname for a hunter, from Old French chacier, 'to chase'High

In 30 seconds: One galloping syllable: Chase is the medieval huntsman's surname turned modern name — and for a girl, it lands with extra dash.

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Origin HighEnglish, French

MeaningHunter, huntsman; from an English surname for a hunter, from Old French chacier, 'to chase'

U.S. rank (2025)#4087 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births35 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2004

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,797

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Chase began as an English surname for a huntsman, from Old French chacier, 'to pursue, to hunt', and as a word it also named private hunting territories — Cannock Chase still dots the English map. As an American first name it rose for boys through the 1980s and 90s, preppy and fast-sounding.

Girls named Chase remain a small, confident minority — the name got a feminine cameo through model-actress Chase Masterson and the House era's surname fashion. For a daughter it reads sleek, athletic, and a step ahead of the curve.

Did you know? In medieval England a 'chase' was also a private hunting ground — so the name evokes both the hunter and the wild royal land itself.

Overall data confidence 90%

Dictionary of American Family Names — Chase — surname origin

Variations

ChaceChayse

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Chase…

Blake— a fellow one-syllable surname with cross-gender polish

Sloane— shares the sleek single-syllable executive style

Hunter— the thematic sibling from the same hunting field

Quinn— another crisp unisex name girls have claimed

Explore names like Chase

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Chase mean?

Chase comes from an English surname for a hunter, from Old French chacier, 'to chase, to hunt'.

How do you pronounce Chase?

It's said CHAYS /ˈtʃeɪs/ — a single syllable.

Is Chase a boy or girl name?

Chase is mostly a boy's name; this page covers its rarer, striking use for girls.

How popular is Chase?

Chase is a rare choice for girls in the U.S.